Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai Province - Trek day one

March 7, we left on a 3-day trek into the jungle of Doi Inthanon National Park. Actually into and out of several times as we skirted around it in places to do some tourist stuff that was added to the trek to make it "sell" as a package. Elephant rides are part of it. So we rode. and bought the photo.

There are a lot of photos so bear with me on this and they are in chronological order. It was a most exciting and challenging and thrilling wonderful full day.

Patt fed her bananas (we met/fed her baby bananas later). I was holding on.

My foot, elephant ear and trunk as we walk along in a stream for a bit.

The actual trek starts fast, here Patt scampers across one of the more sturdy of the bridges we would cross.  This was the starting point and last time we saw people for day one until we got to the village where we were staying.  Well almost last time, we did meet one couple and guide on the trail coming the opposite direction.  The trails are quite remote and some not very heavily traveled.

And it does look somewhat like jungle at times. It was the dry season so it was hot and very dry. Yes this is how this part looked in the dry season, I reckon in the wet season it is, I don't know, more green?

And as it was dry there was/is a lot of burning going on. Some intentional, some I guess accidental, none seemed to alarm anyone. The intentional is to clear rice fields and to clear the forest of underbrush to enable new underbrush to grow for cattle to eat (seems dubious to me).

Also there is burning just to clear the forest. None of it is legal, though according to articles and letters in the newspapers (English language - well what did you think we were reading) there is no enforcement of environmental laws— and if burning is illegal then it appears as if there is indeed no effective enforcement.

We did a lot of mountain climbing, some of which was quite rigorous, and some along rather steep cliffs.  Patt is getting more bold about where she goes of late or else is getting used to walking with her eyes closed most of the time. Charles, Kate I think Patt is ready for Moon Gate trail. Notice how big our guide is.

Up and down we went though mostly up as we were going up stream. A river accompanied us for a good bit of the afternoon.

And it was Hot with a capital H. Goodness it was hot. The sun did beat down.

We passed numerous waterfalls, some close by where we stopped only briefly, some that we could just hear, others seen only in the distance.  That is Mario, (not his real name) our guide. And he was a most delightful young man too. A member of the Karen Hill-tribe, one of the indigenous groups that live in the Thai, Lao, Chinese, Burmese border areas.

And we walked through more than one actively burning area too. More flames on both right and left side of the trail. Yes it was not good breathing and we did walk fast through those stretches, breathing as little as possible. This was the worst spot.

And other parts of the trail were bright blue sky and — but there is a bit of smoke to the left in one of the valleys.

We did finally get to the Karen Hilltribe village where we were going to stay which was Mario's home village.  This is main street.  The little building with the truck parked next door is called the 7-11 by everyone in town. It was closed. They opened it when we got there - we were thirsty.

More of the town.  Zoning limits housing units per acre and lot size I think.

Mario's grandparent's house. That is where we stayed the first night of our trek. (Mario his nick name from the computer game Super Mario Brothers.)

And that little building to the left at the end of the little path is the outhouse. In a town with no electricity you did not expect indoor plumbing I hope.

There is Patt waiting in the side yard as Mario and I return from a walk around the neighborhood.

This is the reverse view of the above photo and yes those are two pigs in the background, only one of which was staked out with a rope, the others, of which there were several, had free range of the place as did a dozen or more chickens of which some may be in photo, several cats, a couple of dogs, 6-8 water buffalo, no partridge in a pear tree, but lots of other garden vegetables.

That basket hanging there would make a great find for a museum in North Carolina as would several other items in the house - heck the whole house would.

Our bedroom, actually it was the separate room upstairs that also was the grain storage room.  The elder Marios are in the trek hosting business. I do not know how often — it appeared not too often.  That is our pile of clothes there on the foot of the bed. Actually we ended up using two of those wool blankets during the night and slept very very well — and long — until the rooster started.  Went to sleep hearing the pig and frogs.  

Oh and the moon and the stars — how can the stars be described? Have not seem them like that before.  Perhaps when I was a child.  I want to see them again. They are awesome — and should be seen. Absolutely beautiful. Could not capture in a photo.

Mario cooking dinner by headlamp — that is a fire pit in the middle of the house-  a brick pad right there surrounded by boards in a wooden house - blackened pots all around.  A few candles and a flash camera lights up the room for the photo. Like I said, no electricity. During the cooking, I was enjoying a sticky rice moonshine whiskey that had quite a bit.

Our dinner. Rice as the basic dish with eggplant and chicken yellow curry, a hard piece of bbq pork, stir fry vegetables, and a Karen chicken dish.

Next morning this is me and great grandma on her bed in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, dining room. I am drinking coffee, she has been taking slugs out of various bottles, adding powders from various bags to various bottles and taking another slug. That is sunlight streaming through the bamboo wall. Not so airtight, lets in a bit of a breeze on those hot summer nights, and on those cool- make that cold winter nights.

Early the next morning Old Great Grandpa was up and working on a drum, as he was when we arrived. He is 87, same age as the King of Thailand, and sits in this squat position and hammers a machete with a steel rod to make grooves in the tree trunk then sands them. He appeared to be about 3'6" and might have weighed 60 pounds.

Old Great Grandma lighting her pipe - she reached into the fire pit, grabbed a coal with her bare fingers and stuck it on the end of the pipe.  She and her husband are pretty tough old birds. We saw her again the next day, Sunday, several miles away - she walked - at a daughter's home in a village where she had attended a Catholic Church service. The old grandparents were converted by missionaries some 60 plus years ago - the entire family is Christian.

Working around the fire pit fixing more food the next morning - it is slow starting.

And thus starts the second day — we got to leave, places to go, things to do, stuff to see, adventures to have.  

moved into Old Chaing Mai

A lot has been going on these past couple of days — we moved into town — our initial choice of rental was a little remote for us so we found another place inside the old city.  Involved a bit of logistics and looking, but we are set, another day — another blog — our new new neighborhood.

We still eat well — this guy is preparing for us a guay yat sai, or omelet, among other dishes — at his sidewalk stall.

We were walking around a wat or Buddhist temple and happened upon a ceremony blessing a  contingent of soldiers — do not know the occasion, one unit is greens, the other in camo.  They were listening to a monk preach / address them.

at the same complex, which was quite large, there was an abundance of buddhas.  and plenty of monks too.

no small building either.

the site has been in use as a temple for a few years.  

this stupa has seen a century or two.

inside the main temple the walls were painted with story telling panels relevant to the life of the Buddha, I think.

and another change from 40 years ago and something still the same. Lottery tickets on the left the same and English newspapers new and welcome. We buy here every morning at 9:30 AM sharp — We start early.

Not sure but Patt could be standing on a road that Mom and Dad walked down with Patt and me 40 years ago when they visited us. We went with them to the tourist shopping craft area outside of Chaing Mai that was along a dusty road with crafts people set up in little tent like and bamboo shops along the road — well things here sure have changed.

but first, the wood carvings have not, still have all the carvings you would ever want.

However now the shops are not only along the road in buildings but also in buildings in mall like sheds shaded by nets to accommodate tourists. Signs announce that sales persons speak German, Dutch, English, Japanese, Chinese and so on. International shipping companies are on every row.

and new products are here too. These are Chinese generals - obviously not targeting the Dutch market.

and Christmas shopping around the world just got easy. You should have seen the people lining up to ship these babies every where.  I bargained and got a discount. Hope you like them.

Thailand 41 years later.

Yes we are different and so is Chaing Mai. Not everything, but lots of things have changed.  Fortunately much is familiar and oh-so nice to experience once again. Visuals certainly are different. Photo below took some searching on back Soi's (allies) to stumble upon -- an old style house/shop front with push cart and all in operation. Could have been here 40 years ago too.

Now this sign definitely was not. Biggest change is the amount of tourists. We have seen in two days more westerners (not counting far and near east tourists) than we saw during the entire three years we were in Thailand.  English is everywhere. Europeans galore, Japanese, and this place is ready for them all!

One thing that is very much the same is the food! We are smiling and enjoying every meal. This is a northern food sampler (would not have been served like this in past) and larp! Mark, you would have loved it.  Especially the larp with the sticky rice.

Cook and helper/spouse in restaurant — had fried fish and a sauce that would make you sweat.  Also had to order a couple of times as we struggled to communicate despite our excellent Thai.  (well pretty good Thai—  well they say it is good).

Seriously we are finding that we can speak Thai better than we thought we could — especially me — no surprise there.  Example when we were buying a sim card for our old iPhone 3, I was busy working away on my prepared Thai talking when Patt kept interrupting me — nothing new there — however Patt was saying "Paul, listen, listen she is speaking English".  Oh well, at least I was not replying "Si" and "Gracias" like Patt did a couple of times.

I did however use the Spanish word for "and" instead of the Thai word several times and have mixed up Spanish and Thai more than once — even tossed in a "ni-hao" — Chinese for hello on occasion.  Getting there — getting there.

street food staple, deep fried bananas. 10 Bhat, about $.30, and oh so good too.

We ate here twice.  Had bam'mee the first time for lunch and then came back the next day for breakfast of kwayteo.  These are two types of noodle dishes that Patt and I realized that we had not had since we were in Thailand.  They were some of our favorite road side "short-order" standby dishes.

I used to get a bowl of each most days for lunch at a small restaurant in downtown Tak when I left school for a quiet lunch — ( I took "foreign teacher privilege" and did not eat in the school cafeteria when I was teaching.)  After about the first month, I left school - the cafeteria food was terrible and I needed a break.

When Mom and Dad visited us I took Dad to that restaurant and he balked before entering because it looked so rickety and bad.  It did have chickens running around under the wooden floor— it like all buildings in town was built up about two feet above ground and there was a wooden sidewalk like in old cowboy movies in front of all the stores on main street.

Patt in the back of a "rote tuk tuk"  or motor-cycle with cart on back — like in days of yore.

parking lot full of motor cycles — nicer than and faster than the scooters of days of yore.

rote song tao (truck with two benches) not as nice as days of yore as the sides are now enclosed on the side.  We rode one yesterday that was quite crowded like the sagging rear springs in this one and I stood on the back. Loved it.

Biggest change!  Everywhere you look — tourist stuff.  All types.  Overwhelming.

Yes we are happy and glad to be here — looking forward to great adventures and good times

 indeed we are

Malaysian Restaurant Review # 3 Perek Lane

Tomorrow we leave for Thailand, and not sure when next internet access happens, it will, just not sure when.  It is fitting that in a place of food delights where we have eaten so well that a review is the last post.  This is I think the Parek Lane Food Court. At least that is the name on a corner hawker stall and it seems to be a good enough name for now.   

Basically this food court is like about 100 others I have seen and 10 or 12 others I have eaten in during my two visits to Penang. A food court consists of some sort of enclosed area (roof optional) surrounded by food vendor carts offering various specialities. Some are known for niche specialties, others generalist. This one is Malaysian I think.

We filled two tables. Surprise surprise - but did not create a stir upon entering or eating - just like normal people - it was nice.

Now food courts are not the only place we have eaten well, here at Charles and Linda's we have had some wonderful feasts and we have also gone to some cloth napkin type places in George Town that match big town North Carolina dining. We have had fun and delightful times dining while here.  

This cart offered Char Koay Teow, a Malaysian version of Phad Thai sort of that is one of my favorites that I frequently order.  I recommend it.  Like Phad Thai it does vary in style and quality from hawker cart to cart- some better than others.

And this is the famous Penang "chicken rice".  some sort of baked? chicken smashed, sliced, served on a bed of rice with sauce.  On most lists of worlds best food, this is on there.  It is not an option if you come to Penang.  Get it.  I do— often.  Recently I have been getting a plate of chicken rice and Char Kaoy Teow at the same time.  (I like the food here)

Chicken rice

Char Koay Teow 

Table with both.  Chicken rice is eaten with fork and spoon, the noodles of course with chop sticks.

Impressive place isn't it?  Parking is along the lane beside the main street.

and dish washing/food prep washing is right there where waste water can be dispatched easily.

I should note, we will be returning to Malaysia the end of March.  So more of this to enjoy and the hospitality of Charles, Linda and Kate too.